Holdback for vehicles



(No Model.)

E. DANIELS, HOLDBAOK FOR VEHICLES.

No. 470,834. Patented Mar 15,1892.

\X/imniimiz IUVEFltlj ATnNfr muons ROBERT E. DANIELS, OF YOUNGSTOWN,OHIO.

HOLDBACK FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,834, dated March15, 1892.

Application filed June 10, 1891- Serial No. 395,797. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, ROBERT E. DANIELS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Youngstown, in the county of Mahoning and State of Ohio,have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Holdbacks forVehicles; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, andexact description of my invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates'to holdbacks used on buggy and carriage shafts orthills for connectin g thereto the quarter or holdback straps thatextend from the harness; and its object is a holdback of suchconstruction that it is readily adjustable to any part of the shaft,that-in use all backward stress upon it is converted into force thatstill more firmly holds it in place, and that in case the horse in motion accidentally becomes detached from the whiffietree it automaticallyuncloses, freeing the horse from the shafts, thus providing a holdbackof great value for its superior convenience and safety in the use of allsinglehorse vehicles. To accomplish this, I proceed upon the idea of asteel band surrounding the shaft, opened upon the under side, andprovided in the form and function of the part to which the quarter-strapis attached with a means by which all backward pull upon this partserves to draw the band still more tightly around the shaft, while aforward movement of the same part loosens it altogether.

Figure 1 is a plan of a section of a buggythill with my holdback inplace thereon. 'Fig. 2 is a face view of the key K. Fig. 3 is an edgeView of the band B, and Fig. 4 is a modifica tion of the same.

The band B is a band of spring-steel of suitable thickness and breadthand of proper dimensions to pass around the shaft snugly but movably,opened at its lowest point by a cut at right angles with the edges andhaving each edge made by such cut similarly turned up and over by a lineon an acute angle to the rearward edge of the band, forming theconverging apertures a a for the passage of the key K. For appearance Ijapan ornickelplate this band,as I also do the exposed part of the key.The key K is a flat piece of steel of suitable thickness and breadth,having at its rear end the eye e, presenting a straight rear line andextending bya diminished and inwardly-curving prolongation to a part ofa breadth that is suitable for the purpose, and

apertures a a of the band B are drawn toward each other, tightening theclasp of the band B upon the shaft S, while the-reverse movement willproduce the reverse result. A connection between the ends of thebranchesis maintained to keep the band and thekey from becomingdisconnected. When in place the branches of the key K are directlyagainst the central lower portion of the shaft S and longitudinal withit, while the eye 6, by reason of the curvature mentioned, appears uponthe inner side of the shaft S at aconvenient point for attaching thequarter-strap. It is apparent that the same result in tightening andloosening the clasp of the band B may be obtained by forming theapertures a a on the lower instead of the upper side of the band B, asillustrated at Fig. 2, and also by making the angles of the apertures aa divergent from each other and forming the branches of the key K tocorrespond. Each of these would be the mechanical equivalent of theforms described, and I claim these and all similar variations to bewithin the spirit of my invention.

My invention will now be fully understood and its value appreciated forthe purpose stated. The band B may by pressing forward the key K toloosen it be located quickly and easily at any point desired on theshaft, and when in place the firmness of its clasp upon the shaft isincreased by the backward pull received from the quarter-strap, whilethe forward pull that would occur if the horse became otherwise detachedfrom the vehicle would open the clasp, permitting the horse to escape,and thereby avoiding harmful results.

\Vhat I claim is- In holdbacks for single-horse vehicles, the adjustablesafety holdback consisting, in comhination, of the band B, open 011 itslower side and presenting the convergent longitudinal apertures a a, andthe key K, provided at one end with the eye 6 and at the opposite end 1o with converging branches,and the mechanical equivalents of said parts,substantially as described in the foregoing specification, and for thepurposes therein expressed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo Witnesses.

ROBERT DANIELS. \Vitnesses:

JAMES KENNEDY, J AS. HINEY.

